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Can I Have a Cremation and a Visitation?

By: Ian Elliott

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Many people believe that they can’t hold a visitation before the cremation and that makes them hesitate to make a choice. Visitations offer family members and friends the opportunity to say their final goodbyes. Without a visitation, the grieving process can take longer and be more difficult. Fortunately, you don’t need to make that sacrifice, as it is possible to hold a visitation before a cremation. Here are some options available to you:

1. The body can be embalmed

This is one of the most common misconceptions as the body can be embalmed and that process won’t affect the cremation process. If you need to delay the visitation or funeral service for some time, the funeral director can embalm the body and wait until after the visitation is complete to cremate the decedent

2. Planning to get the visitation done quickly

Family members can plan the process in advance and arrange for a visitation quickly. This means the body doesn’t need to be embalmed and people can still have the opportunity to say their goodbyes. A private visitation with few close family members and friends is quicker and easier to organize.

3. Visit the urn with the ashes

Cremation doesn’t destroy the body completely. The funeral director provides the remains in the form of ashes stored in a Cremation Urn. Family members can conduct a visitation service with the urn present instead of the body. This also offers solace and comfort to the family and friends. This visitation is easy to arrange because it’s not time-sensitive. You can wait for all your loved ones to arrive before conducting the visitation or memorial service.

If you have any questions about cremation and related funeral services, just contact us or give us a call at (604) 888-9895. Arbutus Funeral Service will be happy to help.